Blog

12 Jan 2015 Permit me an indulgence: this past year gave me some of the greatest reading pleasures of my life—some newly published, others gathering dust for years on the shelf of my “great unread library” and finally given a chance. I’m…

12 Aug 2014 As electronic services crowd out print, the costs of facilities—construction, renovation, and upkeep—are under unprecedented scrutiny. Several library systems I have worked with as a consultant have considered the alternative of including kiosks in their service mix, even as…

14 Jul 2014 Benchmarking is a comparison of performance measures between similar entities and/or against recognized standards. Library benchmarks are typically comparisons of numerical (quantitative) statistics such as circulation, visits, and revenues. It is one of several tools, including customer…

25 Jun 2014 Today, marketing is all about branding; personal brands, product brands and service brands-virtually everyone and everything you see, hear or touch has a tinge of branding attached to it. Branding your product can be a daunting task like…

2 Jun 2014 Hiring and working with consultants for your library is all about finding the “best fit”. Directors are in the best position to know their staff’s strengths and weaknesses, their Board’s priorities and perspectives, and their library’s needs. What…

19 May 2014 There are many factors to consider with holiday closures, and some people will be irritated, no matter what you do. Here are some considerations for libraries determining their holiday policies and schedules:Be honest – is the holiday closure…

28 Apr 2014 We’ve had the chance to review dozens and dozens of RFPs every year. Some are concise, clear in their intent, and signal prospective bidders that the issuing organizations know what they are doing. Others, frankly, are a…